Racing: Tri Nations chases fourth Oamaru win

A 2kg apprentice allowance will be claimed for Tri Nations at Oamaru tomorrow when he attempts his fourth win from five starts on the Oamaru track.

Jarrod Todd will be riding Tri Nations for the second time. Todd rode the Anziyan gelding to finish second to Heureka at Wyndham last October.

Tri Nations was ridden in his three wins over 2200m at Oamaru by Jamie Bullard, Daniel Bothamley and Lisa Cropp. He carried 56.5kg in his last start win on July 31.

With Todd's claim of 2kg, the horse will have his weight of 58kg reduced to 56kg.

Tri Nations is trained by John and Teria McKay, who have had a team based at Oamaru for three months. They also have Mr Pins and Mr Bojangles engaged tomorrow.

Mr Pins has not raced since he won a double at the Marlborough meeting in April. Mr Pins won a trial at Oamaru on August 16 in the hands of Kalai Selvan, who has the mount this time.

Mr Bojangles joined the McKay stable after racing at Te Rapa on July 30. He won at Hastings (a dead-heat) and Rotorua, both times over 1400m, when trained by Karen Fursdon at Matamata. He has been off the winning list for 17 months.

Fernando, who has gained two of his three wins at country meetings in Victoria, is making his first appearance for North Canterbury trainer Mandy Brown in race four.

Fernando won a maiden race at Matamata in April last year when trained there by Margaret Falconer.

Matt Brown said: "I don't think he will be far away. We have been working him on our new (sand-based hill) track."

- NZPA